OUR HISTORY

Once at the forefront of Scottish politics, the Progressives are being re-formed to offer the people of Scotland an alternative to failed politicians, failed parties and failed dogma.

The progressive tradition in Scottish politics goes back a long time. The first Scottish Progressives arose from opposition to the growing socialism that accompanied the rise of the Labour party in major towns and cities. Formed initially as a loose anti-Labour alliance, they emerged as a strong force in their own right.

They formed in Edinburgh in 1928 and in Glasgow in 1936 before spreading to other cities and towns. Their members were mainly drawn from small businessmen opposed to the introduction of what they saw as socialism and Labour control. They dominated Scottish local politics for almost 50 years and as late as 1972 Edinburgh still had 21 Progressive councillors. As the mainstream parties increasingly entered local politics, the role of the Progressives gradually diminished.

Now this has all changed. We no longer have mainstream parties that are willing to promote small, cost-effective government or capable of giving us a vision for the future. The SNP, the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives are all now just as locked in to big government as Labour. They all believe that they can spend your money better than you and that government needs to interfere wherever it can. High taxes, huge debts and needless regulations now dominate our daily lives.

The philosophy of the Progressives today is the same as it always was;

We believe in small government, individual liberty and free enterprise.

We believe in the primacy of the individual over the state.

We believe it is the duty of government to ensure that education and healthcare are freely available and fit for purpose.

We believe that governments should avoid interfering in or becoming involved in enterprise.